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Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 1 June 2026

1. Who We Are

Good Shepherd is a livestock management service operated by Offgrid Engineering (Pty) Ltd ("we", "us", "our"), a company incorporated in South Africa. For the purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), Offgrid Engineering (Pty) Ltd is the responsible party.

Contact: info@gsfarm.co.za

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

  • Identity information: name and surname
  • Contact information: email address, phone number
  • Account information: login credentials, organisation name, subscription tier
  • Financial information: subscription billing records. Card details are processed and held by PayFast — we do not store them.
  • Usage data: feature interactions, log data, device and browser type, IP address
  • Farm and livestock data: animal records, health events, breeding records, and other farm management data you enter into the service

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

  • To create and manage your account
  • To provide, operate, and improve the Good Shepherd service
  • To process subscription payments via PayFast
  • To send service-related communications (receipts, notifications, product updates)
  • To respond to your support queries
  • To comply with legal obligations
  • To detect and prevent fraud and misuse of the service

We will not use your personal information for any purpose incompatible with those stated above without your consent.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information on the following grounds under POPIA:

  • Contract performance: to deliver the services you have subscribed to
  • Legal obligation: to comply with applicable South African law
  • Legitimate interest: to improve our services, ensure security, and prevent fraud
  • Consent: where you have given us explicit consent (e.g. marketing communications)

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share it with:

  • PayFast (Pty) Ltd: to process subscription and store payments. PayFast is subject to its own privacy policy.
  • Google LLC (Firebase): we use Firebase services (Firestore database, Authentication, Cloud Functions, Cloud Storage, and Cloud Messaging) to store and operate the service. Firebase is operated by Google LLC.
  • Law enforcement or regulators: where required by applicable law or court order.

We require all third-party processors to handle your personal information securely and in accordance with applicable law.

6. Cross-Border Transfer of Information

Google Firebase operates servers located outside South Africa, primarily in the United States. By using Good Shepherd, you acknowledge that your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside South Africa. We take reasonable steps to ensure such transfers are subject to appropriate safeguards.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Farm and livestock data you enter belongs to you and may be deleted on request. When an account is permanently deleted, personal information is removed within 90 days, subject to any legal retention obligations.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest, access controls, and regular security reviews. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

  • Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected
  • Deletion: request that your personal information be deleted, subject to legal retention requirements
  • Objection: object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances
  • Complaint: lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@gsfarm.co.za.

10. Information Regulator

If you believe we have handled your personal information in violation of POPIA, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

11. Cookies and Local Storage

Our website (gsfarm.co.za) uses browser local storage solely to maintain your shopping cart between page visits. We do not use third-party tracking cookies on this website. The app at app.gsfarm.co.za uses session cookies necessary for authentication and service functionality.

12. Children's Privacy

Good Shepherd is not directed at persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email and by updating the "Last Updated" date above. Continued use of the service after notification constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

For any privacy-related queries, contact us at info@gsfarm.co.za.

Good Shepherd is a product of Offgrid Engineering (Pty) Ltd, governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.